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MIDI 2.0 Inspires

Innovation


The MIDI Association and Music Accessibility The MIDI Association has been exploring the possibilities of a Music Accessibility standard for several years now. We started by working with Children’s Music Fund back in 2020. Since then we have held numerous webinars and events about the possibilities of using MIDI to improve music accessibility. https://midi.org/an-introduction-to-music-therapy-by-dr-deforia-lane https://midi.org/the-healing-power-of-music-webinar-mimm-2021-week-1 […]
The MIDI Association has made significant progress this year in developing two Profiles focused on electronic drums and drum machines.  The Default Drum Map Profile  defines a MIDI-CI Profile for a default mapping of specific drums to specific Note Numbers. The note map used in this Profile was established by many products in the 1980s […]
SAE Mexico has been selected to begin work on The MIDI Association’s MIDI In Music Education curriculum by the NAMM Foundation. They will provide the curriculum materials in both English and Spanish and have a unique relationship with Coursera, the massive open online course provider. All of the materials created for The MIDI In Music […]
The MIDI Association member companies that develop plugin formats – Apple (Audio Units), Avid (AAX), Bitwig (CLAP) and Steinberg (VST) are working together to  develop open-source software that will enable plugin developers to quickly and easily interface with external MIDI gear without the need for any in depth knowledge of MIDI 2.0 or MIDI-CI.  Another […]
The MIDI Association and its members provided updates on the latest developments in the major operating systems at Winter NAMM 2025. Microsoft announced updates to both MIDI and Audio at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2024 including better APIs which support MIDI, including MIDI 2.0 and full support for low-latency, high-channel-count audio, using standards already accepted […]
The MIDI Association had a full schedule of events at the 2025 NAMM show. We will be publishing articles on each of those events , but we wanted to start with the open meeting on Saturday, January 20, 2025 where MIDI Association Executive Board Chair Pete Brown (Microsoft), MIDI Association President Tim Carroll (Focusrite), AMEI […]
Woman using synthesizer.
Man playing a hybrid electronic and standard drum kit.

We inspire innovation

What

WE Do

We are an all-volunteer, nonprofit trade association whose mission is to make it easier for everyone to create music and art digitally. We nurture a global community of creative people who share a passion for music, art and innovation.

🎛️ Calling All Sound Innovators: 

Shape the Future of MIDI & Music Production! 🎶

Are you captivated by the endless possibilities of sound? Do synthesizers, MIDI protocols, and cutting-edge music technology spark your curiosity?

Join a global community of music makers, innovators, and dreamers who believe in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

With MIDI, we don’t just make music — we create new possibilities. Whether you’re sculpting soundscapes, developing next-gen plugins, or experimenting with expressive performance controls, your passion and creativity can help shape the future of music technology.

Why MIDI? Why Now?

MIDI is more than a protocol — it’s the universal language of musical devices, enabling artists across generations and genres to connect and create. From classic analog synths to immersive, multidimensional controllers, MIDI continues to evolve, empowering musicians with new dimensions of expression.

As Herbie Hancock put it: “It’s not exclusive, but inclusive, which is the whole spirit of jazz and music.”

What We’re Exploring:

🎹 New standards for expressive performance, including MPE and advanced articulation profiles

🧠 AI-driven music tools and adaptive, accessible instruments

🔊 Seamless integration across hardware and software ecosystems

Who We Need:

Music producers and synth enthusiasts who live for sound design

Developers with a passion for creative coding and music tech innovation

Musicians who want to help test, challenge, and inspire new tools

Accessibility advocates ready to make music creation more inclusive. 

Come share your insights, collaborate with industry pioneers, and co-create the future of music.

Together, we can ensure that the language of MIDI continues to evolve with the times — and the tunes.

🎶 Ready to Join the Journey?

Let’s build, play, and innovate — because the future of music is something we compose together.

MIDI Stories

Interactive Audio for Games

The Interactive Audio SIG

Composer Steven Horowitz is the chair of the Interactive Audio (Game Audio) Special Interest Group of The MIDI Association and the executive director of Technology and Applied Composition (TAC) program at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Horowitz comes to SFCM after 23 years as Audio Director at Nickelodeon. 

Creating a free MIDI Curriculum

MIDI IN Music Education

Lee Whitmore, Focusrite’s VP of Education has been passionate about music education his whole life. From his tenure at Berklee to his leadership at the Grammy Music Education Coalition and now chairing our Music Education Special Interest group working with SAE Latin America to create a Creative Commons curriculum for MIDI.

They Make it all happen

Corporate

Members

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Artiphon color logo.
Focusrite logo
Microsoft logo.
Roland logo.
CME logo.
Woman working on a board.
Someone playing keyboards with computer adjacent.